The World - News from Dec. 2, 1986

Environmental experts meeting in Geneva called for efforts to avert depletion of the ozone layer, which shields the Earth against harmful levels of solar ultraviolet radiation. William Mansfield, deputy executive director of the U.N. Environment Program, told a news conference that urgent measures are needed. He spoke at the start of a weeklong discussion on the issue by experts from 45 countries. Manufactured chemicals that eat up ozone are used in aerosol products, foam plastics, refrigeration, air conditioning and solvents. The United States has called for a worldwide freeze and the eventual elimination of the use of such substances.